Impact resistant heated window mount for thermal camera
AssigneeWaymo LLC
InventorsShashank Sharma, Matthew Last
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to optical systems, vehicles, and methods for providing improved mechanical performance of a camera and corresponding optical elements. An example optical system includes an outer housing and an inner support member. The optical system also includes an optical window coupled to the outer housing and the inner support member. The optical window is configured to be temperature-controllable. The optical system also includes a camera coupled to the inner support member. The camera is optically coupled to the optical window. Additionally, the outer housing, the optical window, and the camera are configured to be impact resistant.
Claims18
An optical system comprising:
- an outer housing;
- an inner support member;
- an optical window coupled to the outer housing and the inner support member, wherein the optical window is configured to be temperature-controllable;
- a window heater element, wherein the window heater element comprises a flexible heater device, and wherein the flexible heater device is disposed on an inner surface of the optical window;
- and
- a camera coupled to the inner support member, wherein the camera is optically coupled to the optical window, wherein the outer housing, the optical window, and the camera are configured to be impact resistant,
- wherein an impact force applied to the optical window is distributed via a primary load path and a secondary load path, wherein the primary load path comprises the optical window and the outer housing, wherein the secondary load path comprises the optical window and the inner support member.
A vehicle comprising:
- an optical system comprising:
- an outer housing;
- an optical window coupled to the outer housing, wherein the optical window is configured to be temperature-controllable;
- a window heater element, wherein the window heater element comprises a flexible heater device, and wherein the flexible heater device is disposed on an inner surface of the optical window;
- and
- a camera coupled to an inner support member and optically coupled to the optical window, wherein the outer housing, the optical window, and the camera are configured to be impact resistant,
- wherein an impact force applied to the optical window is distributed via a primary load path and a secondary load path, wherein the primary load path comprises the optical window and the outer housing, wherein the secondary load path comprises the optical window and the inner support member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.